ABOUT NPPS — OUR TEAM

Dr. Donnna Thompson, PhD

Dr. Donna Thompson, PhD is an acknowledged national and international expert in the field of playground development and safety, and is the executive director of the National Program for Playground Safety. She has more than 20 years experience teaching, writing, and researching about playgrounds. She has done numerous presentations on playground development, including television interviews on ABC's Good Morning America; CBS's Early Edition; and NBC's Today show. She has served as consultant for numerous groups planning playgrounds, and has been an expert witness on playground safety.

Dr. Susan Hudson, PhD

Dr. Susan Hudson, PhD is also a national acknowledged expert in the area of playground safety and the National Program for Playground Safety Educational Director. She has made numerous presentations nationally and internationally on playground design and safety, and is the author and co-author of over 100 articles concerning playgrounds. Dr. Hudson has held numerous leadership and committee assignments in national professional organizations, including the American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the National Recreation and Park Association. She holds an endowed professorship at the University of Northern Iowa.

Heather Olsen, Ed.D

Heather is the asistant director for the National Program for Playground Safety at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. She has been associated with the development of playgrounds and educating the public about maintenance, supervision, and age appropriateness. She has given presentations about the design and maintenance of safe playgrounds and has written many articles on creating safe playgrounds for children.

Donna Mokricky
Administrative Assistant

Donna holds a BA from the University of Northern Iowa. Among her many duties at NPPS, she performs any necessary secretarial duties for the program and manages our student support staff. She keeps the office running and makes sure that you receive the best customer service around. If you've ever contacted NPPS, she's most likely been the one to send you in the right direction.